At least 100 military in NLA: source

At least 100 senior military officers are tipped to be selected as members of the National Legislative Assembly (NLA), an NCPO source said.

Although it was Saturday yesterday, Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) chief General Prayuth Chan-ocha did not take a break but went to the Royal Thai Army headquarters to follow up on work.

An informed NCPO source, who asked not to be named, said that besides the looking into concerns in the restive South, Prayuth yesterday screened the list of people proposed to be members of the NLA presented by his assistant General Paiboon Koom-chaya, who is in charge of justice and legal matters for the military leaders.

The list of NLA members is expected to be announced in the coming week, the source said.

Names on the list include academics, members from non-government groups, business people, former senators, as well as military officers.

The military officers are mainly the commanders of key agencies, especially from the Army. They include permanent secretary of defence General Surasak Kanjanarat, plus three of his deputies. The Supreme Commander, General Tanasak Patimapragorn, deputy army chiefs, the army aide-de-camp General Aksra Kerdphol, as well as the head of the Armed Forces Development Command are also on the list.

Others include the commanders and deputy commanders of the Army Region Commands and the commanders of the Army's 20 divisions as well as the Special Warfare Command and 13 other armed forces agencies.

Deputy commanders of the Navy and Air Force, plus aide-de-camps and advisers, and at least 10 senior police including General Adul Saengsingkaew would also be included as NLA members, the source said.

NCPO chief advisers including former defence minister General Prawit Wongsuwan, former Army chief General Anupong Paochinda and former deputy Army chief General Dapong Ratanasuwan would also be in the NLA, the source said.

Other big names such as Prayuth and Paiboon, Navy chief Admiral Narong Pipatanasai, Royal Thai Air Force chief ACM Prajin Juntong, and General Chatchai Sarikalya won't be in the NLA as they are expected to join in the Cabinet, the source said adding that the NLA meeting to nominate Prayuth as PM would take place in August.